Guitar



T. A. GAST `.lune 17, 1930.

GUITAR Filed Feb. 1. 192e Patented June 17, 1930 v from the top, or is torn in two.

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PATENT OFFICE THEODORE A. GAST, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE HARMONY CO., OF

' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS GUITAR Application filed February 1, 192s. serial No. 251,010.

rlhis invention relates to stringed musical ins-truments, such as guitars and the like, and its principal object is to improve the tone qualities of instruments of this type, and to remedy certain defects common to such instruments. In the ordinary guitar a narrow bridge is employed which is glued to the top of the instrument, but due to the strain thereon caused by the tension of the strings, the narrow bridge is often caused to tilt on one edge, thereby bending down the bowed top of the instrument between the bridge and the block at the neck, and thereby impairing the tone quality of the instrument. Sometimes the strain is so great that the bridge is torn One object of the invention is to provide a bridge for guitars, and the like, which overcomes all of said difficulties and greatly increases the effectiveness of the instrument.

With said objects and advantages in view,

' the invention consists in a stringed musical instrument such as a guitar, having a bridge containing an under face of relatively large area whereby an increased gluing surface is obtained, and the tendency for the bridge to tilt under the influence of the strings is practically eliminated. It further consists in a bridge as above described, glued to the outer face of thetop of the instrument, and an associated reinforcing plate glued to the under side of the top directly below the bridge and affording a reinforcement for the top at a place under the bridge, without interfering with the proper vibration of the top to obtain the necessary tone quality.V It further consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of a guitar embodying one form ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof, looking from below, With the bottom and sides removed, and a fragment of the neck broken away; and

Fig. 3 is a detail,kvertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.'

Referring to said drawing, which illustrates a simple embodiment of the invention,

the reference character 5 designates the top,

6 the bottom, and 7 the sides of the body of the instrument and 8 designates the neck of the instrument. Blocks 9 and 10 at the ends of the body connect the top, bottom and sides. All of these parts are glued together as usual. Sound openings 11, of any suitable design, are provided in the top 6, as is customary.

rlfhe bridge of the instrument is seen at 12, and as shown, the bridge is made relatively long and wide, thereby providing a gluing face on its underside of considerable area as comparsel with the gluing faces of bridges now on the market. The bridge is made relatively high at the place where the saddle 13 is placed as compared with the remainder of the bridge, and it is grooved transversely at the high place 14- to receive the saddle. The saddle receiving portion extends transversely of the instrument and the relatively long portion is preferably in the form of a projection narrower than the saddle receiving portion and extending at right angles thereto. The long dimension of the bridge, that is to say, the part which'projects from the saddle receiving portion, extends lengthwise of the instrument. Projecting portions may veX- tend from both sides of the saddle receiving portion as shown.

From the high place 14, the upper face of the bridge slopes toward the upper and lower ends of the top 6, and it is made quite thin at the edges 15. The exact shape of the bridge is immaterial, broadly speaking, but by giving it an ornamental appearance,the attractiveness of the instrument is greatly enhanced, and whileI have illustrated the upper face of the bridge as sloping from both sides of the saddle, it is possible to entirely omit the sloping part at one side thereof.

Directly behind the saddle, the bridge is formed with the usual holes 17 for thepegs 18 that hold the strings 16 in place. The other ends of the strings are attached to the keys as usual. rlhe bridge is glued to the upper face of the top 6 withthe holes 17 at the customary place.

To the underface face of the topy 6 below the bridge isglued a relatively thin sheet or plate 19, preferably formed of wood' and eX- tending from the saddle portion of the bridge Vfeo backwards toward the lower end of the itar body. Some considerable space is le between the sheet or plate 19 and the block 10 -to avoid interference with the free vibration of the top 6 at this place. The sheet or late 19 acts as a reinforcement, under the ridge, and strengthens the top at this point.

Transverse and diagonally extending ribs 20, 21 are glued' to the under face of the top 6, and form a reinforcementtherefor. The

upper faces of theribs are slightly convex or bowed so as to give the required convex v the tendency to flatten out the bowed part of thetop between the bridge and block 9 is eliminated. This also has a tendency to improve the tone'` volume of the instrument. The tension, of thestrings on the bridge is considerable, 4 as is well known, but by increasing the length of the bridge, lengthwise of theinstrument, a'greater hold on the top is obtained ywith the result that the-tendency of the bridge to tilt4 and bend down the bowed top is eliminated. The reinforcing plate on the under face ofthe-top adds strength andy stiffnessl to the thin top without interfering with the freevibrationthereof.

More or less vvariation of the exact details of construction isV possible without departing from the spirit off this invention; I

l desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the vexact form of the construction shown" and described, but intend, in the following claims 1 to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

ceiving portion, the upper face of said projection sloping towards the face of the soundin board and terminatin in a relatively thm edge portion, said projection extending in a direction lengthwise of the instrument.

3. A stringed musical instrument com rising a. sounding board, a brid to w 'ch strings are attached, said bridge eing formed with a transverse saddle receivin l portion, and a projection at rifght angles t ex*- tending lengthwise o the instrument, said Vbridge being permanently secured to said sounding board, and a relatively thin reinforcing plate Vsecured on the under side ofl the sounding board below the brid e.

n THEODORE A. AST.

I claim as new andv desire to,l secureby Let'-V y ters Patent:

l.` A stringed musical instrument compris- Y ing asoundin board, anda bridge arranged for` the attac ment lof strings thereto and havinga transverse saddle receiving portion v citerl which the strings extend, and a rela- ,n 4faceY ofk the bridge ,beingl contiguous. with the sounding boardand secured Yto the topthereof;k 1 l to, said kbridge.,*being'formed withla transf tively ,.long ymember at right angles'to the ;saddle= receiving portion lwhich extends lengthwise of the instrument, the entire'lower IN2; A stringed musical instrument comprising a sounding board Vand a bridge having one face contiguous therewith andI secured thereverse saddle receiving portion, and a projection whiolilis-narrower than-the saddle re- 

